


The Uncommon Case of the Missing Page

by BlueFruit



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Greg Lestrade & Sherlock Holmes Friendship, Greg Lestrade - Freeform, M/M, Mycroft Holmes - Freeform, Mycroft cares, Mystrade Valentines Calendar 2018, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, greg was just waiting for it, mystrade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-19 15:44:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13707567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueFruit/pseuds/BlueFruit
Summary: Greg is solving a big case without any help from Sherlock, but he needs time.Mycroft is reading the news and he doesn’t like them.What can bother the most powerful man in England?





	The Uncommon Case of the Missing Page

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!  
> This story was written, with extreme pleasure, for the Mystrade Valentine's calendar.  
> English is not my first language, so if you find some sort of error feel free to correct me. I would appreciate it!  
> Hope you'll enjoy this Mystrade fluff, thanks for reading :)

**Sunday.**

 

Mycroft was standing in his kitchen, surrounded by the familiar silence of his house. The newspapers were boring and inaccurate, but reading them every morning was part of his job. He was trying to do it as fast as possible, without wasting too much time on judging the incredible lack of good journalists of these days.

He was wearing a black nightgown, drinking his first tea of the day and, while reading the news, deciding the best way to avoid an imminent conflict between to of the most rich and powerful people in the world. Mycroft was confident about being able to convince them to work together and even collaborate with him.

A busy and normal morning in the life of the most powerful man in England, in appearance.

Except for _that_.

Mycroft, despite all the things he was thinking about all in once, felt _that_ again. Something in the back of his head was trying to emerge, claiming all his attention. He was using all the self-control he was capable of, trying to fill his mind with more and more information from those bad written articles, but it was hard. Even for him, even for that brain.

‘Am I so obvious, after all?’ Mycroft thought, turning another page of one of the nastiest newspaper ever printed. What a waist of paper.

He never let _that_ win, never.

Sometimes he allows himself to think about it, but just when he’s really tired and all the work he could possibly do is done.

When it’s late in the night and the world is safe Mycroft Holmes feels allowed to take a break from being himself. His mind is the only place where he can be free without worrying about the others. There he can find peace, privacy and a pleasing loneliness.

Usually if he saw him during the day is easier to indulge, or if he is particularly tired, but it's always just a thought. Always a happy one, but veiled and never explicit.

That was everything Mycroft Holmes allowed himself to think about _that._

One big title caught his eyes. He stood for one second, holding his breath.

 

“Detective DI Lestrade can’t do his job without Sherlock Holmes?”

 

He started reading with all his attention, his body was more tense than usual.

The journalist was complaining about Lestrade’s investigations for that new case, the one in Fitzrovia.

Sherlock, for once, was minding his business. He and John were too busy with one of their private clients to care about this one.

The murder that took place in Fitzrovia wasn’t that easy to disentangle, but Mycroft knew that all Lestrade needed was a little bit of time. Gregory was smart enough, absolutely capable to do it.

Despite this strong believe Mycroft decided to read the entire article, with his eyebrow raised.

Every line of it was about Lestrade’s incompetence. The journalist was claiming that without Sherlock Holmes the DI is lost, unable to solve even the easiest case.

Mycroft violently turned the page, annoyed, but before doing it he made sure to mentally pin down the journalist's name.

Just in case.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Monday.**

 

Sherlock was sitting on his armchair, pretending to ignore Mycroft and his speech about some family related duties.

The older brother was physically tired by that conversation.

“Sherlock, please! We need to do something for mummy’s birthday. She cares about those stupid things!”

Mycroft could hear John grinning in silence, but he didn’t care. Dealing with one child at the time was more than enough for him.

“Morning everyone!” Gregory opened the door of the apartment with a bright smile on his face.

“Oh. Ehm… Good morning, Mycroft.” The DI smiled brighter, raised his hand to say hello in a really clumsy and cute way.

He was happy and excited to see him, and for Mycroft that was impossible and so, so wrong. No feelings allowed. Never.

“How are you doing?” Greg asked, getting a little bit closer.

Sherlock, John and entire world had a sarcastic smile after hearing that question.

Gregory Lestrade was a good, caring man. The kind of person everyone wants to have as a friend. His question was pure, he actually cared about the reply and about Mycroft, but he’s not like that. No one ask to him how he’s doing or if he’s ok. Usually no one ask anything in general, because he’s the man in charge and the only person who can ask questions.

Lestrade knew what kind of person Mycroft Holmes was, but he is used to treat everyone in the same polite way.

Moreover, Greg it’s been really happy to see Mycroft during these last six months.

And Holmes, of course, noticed that. He knew, as he always does. And he was keeping himself as distant as he could from that handsome and smiling guy. Falling for that kind of man was too easy, even for a solid person like Mycroft.

“Fine, Gregory. Thank you for asking.” He replied, in a dry and distance way.

Lestrade waited a little bit, but the usual ‘And you?’ never came out from Mycroft’s mouth.

Greg looked at him in straight in the eyes, but he saw no interest. Just a polite looking back.

For Mycroft pretending to not care about him was hard, harder than usual. He was so used to be a liar, it’s been so easy to do in all these years and yet with him was so complicated.

“How about your case, George?” Sherlock asked.

Greg glared at him.

“Jeff?”

“Sherlock!” John was so done with this.

“Graham?”

“I’ll never speak to you again, Sherlock.” The DI was hopeless.

“Gavin!”

“Oh, for Christ sake Sherlock stop it! It’s Greg, actually Gregory.”

Everybody in the room was looking at Mycroft, in silence.

“Thank you.” Sherlock smirked to his big brother. After all these years he still knew how to upset him in a moment. He was so happy about it.

‘He knows’ Mycroft thought, a bit worried about it.

“Sherlock, please.” He started, trying to sound calm and reasonable.

“You shouldn’t worry about me, my sexual life with John is going really well. Let’s talk about yours, dear brother.”

“Sherlock, if don’t stop this right now you’ll not have a sexual life anymore. I promise. End of the story.” John sometimes was a proper soldier, but it seemed to work.

Mycroft tried to kill Sherlock with his look, and he was so satisfied about it.

“So, Greg, how’s the case?” John continued, smiling at Lestrade.

“All good, thanks! I’ve got some clues, I think I’ll solve everything by the end of the week. I’m trying to be as quick as possible because of the press. They’re killing me, every day. One journalist in particular just can’t leave me alone, and he’s writing so many terrible things about me and my working skills.”

“I read the newspaper this morning. Do you know him?” John asked, interested.

“No. I don’t know what’s his problem, but he’s a fan of yours, Sherlock.”

“I don’t care. I can help you with the case if you want, Inspector.”

“Thanks, but no. You know, sometimes it’s actually nice to be able to do my job without an annoying child with me.”

Mycroft smiled. He liked him and his personality, he really did.

“However, I really have to hurry up with this case. My boss doesn’t like all those bad rumors about Scotland Yard and those stupid news can damage me and my imagine as a good DI. It was nice to see you John, Sherlock.”

Greg took a pause, he allowed himself to take a long look at Mycroft.

“Have a lovely day, Mycroft.” Lestrade stared at him in the eyes and smiled. Even more than before.

“And you.” Mycroft replied, completely stunned. His heart jumped.

Gregory had no intention of surrendering and because of this Mycroft was falling harder than before.

‘This will not end well’.

 

* * *

 

 

**Tuesday.**

 

The _that_ thing was just an old memory after their last meeting.

Mycroft just couldn’t stop thinking about Gregory. His eyes, his lips, his personality and his charisma.

Lestrade made it clear: he wasn’t going to let it go. Whatever it was.

That passion, those looks, that bloody kind heart.

Mycroft was struggling so much, he just couldn’t let _that_ go in the back of his mind as he used to.

“Embrace this, dear brother. Lestrade is a good and intelligent man, he will not be a problem.”

“And what is this, Sherlock? Feelings? Do I really need them? I don’t want to get involved.”

“But you’re already involved.”

“I’m not.”

“Oh, please!”

“I want to get rid of this, Sherlock. I really do.” Mycroft looked incredibly serious.

“If you will try to destroy those feeling you’ll get involved for real. It’ll be hard, they’ll chasing you for a while. You’ll lose so much time and so much of your thinking. Believe me, it’s a waste of energy. I tried so hard, but in the end you lose so much of yourself in the process. It’s not worth it, especially if the feelings are reciprocated.” Sherlock sounded so serious, so mature and self-conscious.

John Watson it’s been good for him, really good. He’s a better person, he’s an adult who can take care of himself and it’s because of John. Mycroft couldn’t deny it.

“I don’t want to change my life, Sherlock. I like my job, my position and everything I do. I don’t want to change it, for no one.”

“It’s not going to happen, I promise.”

“But if it’ll happen you’ll have to help me to take my life back. Are we clear? Sherlock! Why are you laughing at me, I’m bloody serious!”

“Ok, fine. I promise. Now, how are we going to tell mummy about Gavin?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Wednesday.**

 

Enough was enough.

Mycroft opened that nasty newspaper that morning with a little and satisfied smile on his face.

He turned the pages, he read the titles and he smirked when he finally saw it. A page was missing from the newspaper that morning, without any explanation.

There was page seventeen and then page nineteen, but not sign of page eighteen.

Mycroft was so happy he couldn’t stop smiling.

It’s always satisfying when you can see how much powerful you are and how many things you can do with that, but this time was different, because he used his power for someone, for _that._

This thought filled him with pure joy. He was happy for being able to do something for another person, and for once that person wasn’t someone from his family.

He wasn’t used to feel so much happiness, but it was nice to let things go for once. To be able to enjoy emotions. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt like this.

Mycroft couldn’t even remember if he had ever felt like this in his entire life.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Mycroft!” Gregory slammed the door, he was out of breath.

Holmes was alone in the 221B apartment, standing next to the fireplace. He was obviously waiting for him, sure as always about his deductions.

“What have you done?” He asked, waving the newspaper in front of him.

“I made a complain, Inspector. The words against you were too inaccurate.”

“You removed a page from the newspaper?!” Greg was so confused. He already knew the answer, but it was too hard to believe.

“I only eliminated a false information about your case, Inspector. It’s part of my job.”

“Bullshit!” Greg shouted.

“Pardon?”

“That’s not true, Mycroft! And you know it! I’m… I’m so confused right now.” Greg stared at him, looking for some sort of sign.

“Why, dear Inspector?” Mycroft smiled, encouragingly.

“Because the last time we saw each other you made yourself very clear.” Greg wasn’t there to play games, not anymore.

“And yet you didn’t give up.” Mycroft moved a little bit closer.

“Now I’m confused. All I can say is that you care about me, in some sort of way. But is that it? I want to be clear Mycroft, once for good.” Greg was trying to be calm and not too much involved, but his voice was cracking.

“And what is caring if not another face of love, dear Inspector?” Mycroft was smiling and before he could realize he found himself in Gregory’s arms, ready to be kissed by his handsome Detective Inspector.

His lips were so sweet, his embrace was so comforting. Gregory was everything he dreamed of.

Mycroft felt safe and in return he caressed his cheek, looking straight in to his eyes.

“I really care about you, Gregory.” And Mycroft kissed him, softly but with passion.

To Greg that sounded more like an ‘I love you’.

“Me too, me too.” Gregory giggled squeezed him even closer, no intention of letting him go after all this waiting for a sign of interest.

“During Valentine’s day, really? Mycroft dear, are you in the end so obvious?” Sherlock appeared from the stares.

“Shut up, Sherlock!” Gregory replied, laughing.

“But yeah… Happy Valentine’s day, Mycroft.”

“Happy Valentine’s day, Gregory.”


End file.
